Monday, June 19, 2017

P A G C O R

The title “Philippine
Amusement and Gaming Corporation” – and so with all downright Casinos with innocent names or titles – is in
reality but an euphemism for downright institutional gambling unlimited – not simply
innocent “Gaming” as games are commonly and rightfully
understood. There is no such thing as “Amusement” for people who gamble their
money away, who take risks with their family fortune, who expose
themselves to living in deceit and/or
corruption to finance their gambling
fixation – in a good number of cases, even making themselves downright gambling
addicts. Finally, the title “Philippine” actually stands for the
national government itself that is
wherefore the entity precisely protecting
and promoting the gambling industry and culture in the Country through a
legal corporate creation called PAGCOR.
Open, public, official and institutional gambling – this is PAGCOR. This is an eminent government-owned and
controlled corporation. This is how far
the Philippine government has gone to propagate and inculcate the vice of
gambling in the Country. This is how
much the national leaderships in the recent past have gone forward in
cultivating the vice of downright gambling in place of the virtues of industry
and toil.

PAGCOR stands for practically anything but something
innocent and wholesome, noble and virtuous.
In fact it can readily stand for avarice and greed, shame and
disrepute. In a futile attempt to
validate and legitimize its operational existence, it spends a sizable amount
of money for extensive public relations and continuous self-praise
advertisements – calling the attention of even foreign gamblers. It loudly and repeatedly extols its so-called
social welfare ventures while remaining
absolutely silent about the
individuals and families it has been breaking for long, the moral values and sound social traits it is continuously destroying. In particular, it is practically impossible
to trace the big funds it funnels to
whom and what for – comfortably forgetting
the truth that “The end does not
justify the means”.

Considering the significance and implications of the above
factors, it is understandable that
PAGCOR is a dangerous corporate entity
to confront, to quarrel with. Say what
it is in reality, speak of its deleterious effects, point out the serious
social liabilities it causes and it fiercely fights back using the virtually
unlimited funds in its command and putting to action the big money-influence it
has. For what it could be worth, this I
have to say: When I started waging
counter-Jueteng moves, what were
thrown in my way were money baits and
depreciating gossips. But when I began
moving against PAGCOR, there appeared shadowy surveillance characters, plus
threats through phone calls and text messages.
Far it be for me to say that all these have PAGCOR as their origin. One however cannot but have his own personal
and strong suspicion as I did. PAGCOR
and Jueteng are not twins but close
siblings they are, and each has its own way of assuring not only its
self-preservation but also its own self-promotion – for one and only
fundamental reason: Money, money and more money – and all the power and pride,
pleasure and vices it brings. How true
is the saying that “Money is the root of
all evil,” – specially on the part of those who adore it.

Oscar Cruz

About The Blogger

Most Reverend Oscar V. Cruz, D.D. is the Archbishop-Emeritus of Lingayen-Dagupan. He is currently the Judicial Vicar of the National Tribunal of Appeals. He is a prolific writer, having published several dozen books mostly on judicial and moral matters. His most recent book is about the Social Doctrines of the Church. He also has a blog where he posts regularly. He is an avid coin collector and dabbles in woodworking art.